


Codsworth It

by Hawkscape



Series: Redtail Tales [10]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Caretaking, Feelings, Feels, Free Will, Friendship, Gen, Humanity, Introspection, Mechanics, Philosophy, Robotics, Robots, Talking
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-05
Updated: 2017-07-05
Packaged: 2018-11-23 15:54:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11405658
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hawkscape/pseuds/Hawkscape
Summary: Redtail gives Codsworth a much needed tune up that segues into deep talks about humanity and what they mean to each other.





	Codsworth It

Codsworth would have to say that since his master had come back, his existence had improved greatly. No longer left to tidy and clean up a broken and crumbling house alone, he finally had something useful to do. Even when Red decided to go out with another companion, he was able to keep busy taking care of the other settlers that they had brought back into Sanctuary. He finally had a purpose again. He hoped that he gave his master even a fraction of the happiness they gave him. 

He was happily putting about organising the stocks of foods they had left in the Sanctuary mess hall and thinking on how content he was when he noticed a presence behind him. He turned his eyestalks around to see it was his master. “Ah! Good evening Misc Redtail.” Red flashed him their signature thousand watt smile. 

“Good evening Codsworth! How’s it goin’?” They walked up beside the Mister Handy and leaned one arm on him. He added some extra power to thrust to compensate. 

“Very well Misc. I’m currently making a tally of the food left to better assess future meal plans.” He also made sure that all the food was stacked in aesthetically pleasing ways, but that wasn't for any other reason than that he liked to be tidy. 

Red seemed to look over him incredulously. “How would ya’ feel about a tune up, Cods?” 

Codsworth continued to organise the food. “All of my systems are working at at least 50% capacity, I’m fine.” 

Red seemed unhappy at this. “That's not good enough Codsworth. I want you to be feeling as good as you can be.” 

Codsworth didn't want them to be misinformed. “Oh no Misc, I’m not in any discomfort, I assure you-” 

Redtail seemed to disregard them and hurriedly try to push them towards the doorway. “Unacceptable. I gotta tune you up. I got everything all set up on the workbench already.” Codsworth hurriedly put down the tin of Cram he was holding on the nearby counter and allowed himself to be pushed into position. 

He made sure not to bump anything with his arms. “Should I power down while you work, Misc?” 

Red shook their head. “Nah, I want to make sure I don't accidently fry you or cross the wrong wires.” 

They meant this as a joke but Codsworth had to respond. “I trust you implicitly Misc, you would never do something to injure me.” 

Red seemed taken aback by his honesty and trust. “Thanks Cods…” They patted the workbench. “Alright, up ya go.” Codsworth hovered up into the bench and gently cut his hover engines to sit on the bench with a soft clank. Red brushed away some dust from his front pannel with their sleeve before taking off their gloves and setting them next to the metal orb. Their hands were covered in small cuts and scars, but were steady as they weaved in between Codsworth’s arms to grab tools and check gages. Codsworth couldn't really feel there hands like a person would but he appreciated their care when handling him anyway. 

Red set to work unscrewing panels and checking to make sure connections were securely in place and nothing was obviously out of whack. “Okay Cods, got any obvious diagnostic problems you can tell me?” 

Cods chirped happily. “Well, most of my systems are working to at least some degree, just not at full capacity. It mostly manifests as using more power than originally intended to do the same tasks I would normally use less power for. This isn't much of a problem as I have been able to use sunlight to charge my reserves, but it does sometimes lead to overheating.” 

Red hummed at all this as they examined the connectors on some of the wires. “Hmm. Nothing more concrete then that?” 

Codsworth’s eyes seemed to bend slightly downward. “Sorry Misc, that system’s working a little less then top as well. It’s hard to translate what I’m seeing in my scans to words.” 

Red patted one of his eye stalks softly. “No worries Cods, I got you.” They pulled out some more connectors and looked at them. “Ah, here's at least some of the problem. Lot of your wires connectors are either loose, dirty, or bent.” They stood up fully from where they had been hunched over in Cods’ guts. They patted his hull sadly. “I'm sorry Codsworth, I should have taken a look at you sooner.” 

Codsworth didn't seem bothered. “Dont worry Misc, you had more important things to worry about.” 

Red rummaged through some drawers in the desk looking for supplies “You’re real important Cods. You take care of me. You make sure I eat and sleep and you have my back in battle. I should have been doing the same for you all this time.” They pulled out some q-tips and alcohol along with some pliers. “But don't worry, I’ll get you fixed up now.” Codsworth wanted to continue to reassure them that it was alright, but Red had already continued working again and he didn't want to disturb them. They set about methodically cleaning the contacts with the q-tips and alcohol and re-bending any out of place prongs. They eventually lost track of time in the process, working through every connecter methodically until they were done. They leaned back and were confused to notice the lighting was drastically different than when they had started. 

Codsworth spoke up. “I was about to alert you that you have been working for a few hours and might wish to take a break to get some food and water.” 

Red brushed their sweaty hands on their jacket. “Eh, I don't wanna leave you just lying here. How are your systems looking?” 

Codsworth seemed to bob his eyestalks happily. “My power conversion seems to be up considerably and I'm running much cooler.” 

Red smiled at this. “Great! It's a good start at least.” 

Codsworth didn't want them to fuss to much more over them. “You don't have to do anything else Misc. I’m perfectl-” 

Red softly cut off there fussing. “I’ll just put some oil on your movin’ parts, maybe buff off some rust, then we'll be good for today. If you really don't want me messing with you anymore I’ll stop, but it's not a burden for me to work on you. I like helping people.” 

They reached rummaged around on a nearby self to find the oil and some sandpaper. Codsworth fidgeted around his limbs, careful not to knock anything over. “I count as a person, Misc?” They meant it as a wry joke, but Red turned around wide eyed with an slipper can and some rough paper. 

“‘Course I count you as a person. You're not human, but you got humanity. Does that makes sense?” They scrunched up their face. 

The robot orb chirped. “Of course Misc, thank you. I’m honored you think of me like that.” 

Red started working on his fans, joints, and actuators. The silent scraping of sandpaper and testing of movement being the only sounds. Red was expanding and contracting one of Codsworth’s limbs to make sure it was moving smoothly before they spoke again. “You ever thought about being more humanoid? Like what Curie did?” 

Codsworth seemed to pause and think it over while Red continued to work. “I’ve never given it serious thought, but I wouldn't be opposed if you think it would make me better at my duties.” 

Red knocked against something loudly. “No Cods, I’m asking if YOU would want to. I understand you want to please me, but it would please me if you thought about what you wanted sometimes.” 

Codsworth seems to think for a long time again before responding. “I fear I dont have the proper programing to...want.” 

Red didn't get frustrated with him like Codsworth thought they might. They simply started to try and talk through it. “Well, you seem to want to make other people happy. You seem to want to organise, tend flowers, and to hunt down anything even remotely threatening and set it on fire...” 

Codsworth clicked and whirred loudly. “Those are just offshoots of wishing to please others and keep them safe.” 

Red gently tested more of Codsworth’s limbs. “What about all the things you did while I was frozen and everyone was gone?” 

Codsworth was about to say that everything he did was simply preparing for their return, but the more he ruminates on everything he had done in those 200 years, he began to realise that wasn't fully true. He whirred and clanked as Red sat back and put a cap on the container of oil again. “The years I spent alone forced me to subtly change my programing to compensate for changing conditions and conditions I was probably never truly meant to operate under. I only changed small bits at a time, but I suppose they must have compounded. I could be reset to factory standards if the proper holotapes were found..." Red was preparing themselves for more explanation of emotion. “But I don't believe I would…WANT that.” 

Red started to smile, but stuttered a little. “If you...did want that that would be okay to. As long as it was your choice.” 

Codsworth had not had to think like this in a long time. He wasn't lying when he said these were conditions he was never meant to work under. It was probably why most of the other models of his type he has found throughout the Commonwealth seem to completely disregard that the war ever happened. They simply didn't have the emotional capacity to process it. He could process that, but could he process this? “If I'm only doing what I want because I want to do what you want and what you want is for me to do what I want then does that still count as doing what I want?” 

Red’s gears seemed to stall just like Codsworth’s as they tried to piece together the linguistic gymnastics that just happened. “Yeah...I think it still is.” 

Codsworth perked up with the deep question seemingly solved. “I’m very glad that you worked on my overheating problem before we had this conversation, my processors might have shorted themselves out otherwise. My apologies for trying to dissuade you, Misc.” 

Red’s smile lit up through the few spots of oil that has been accidently wiped on their face. They wiped up the last of the excess oil leaking out of his arm joints before giving Codsworth an affectionate pat. “No problem Cods. You're family, I gotta take care of you.” 

Codsworth carefully floated off the bench and back towards the pantry he had been organizing with then new intention of making Redtail food. He thought about how he wanted to do this and that he was happy Misc felt close to them. No more was said about free will and human looking bodies as Red happily gossiped to a mostly silence Codsworth as he made a sandwich to the best of his nutritional capabilities. Red started to eat while continuing to talk and started to lean on Codsworth while his eyestalks were on other things and the sensors had to automatically kick up his thrust after a small dip. Red coughed slightly around the bite they were taking. “Whoa, Cods you good?” 

Codsworth hoped they hadn't caused them any distress. “Fine Misc Red, just didn't notice your learning to readjust my thrust smooth enough before the automatic leveling kicked in.” 

Red looked mildly surprised. “You manually level yourself every time I lean on you so I don't get jarred?” 

Codsworth kept arranging boxes of Blamco neatly next to one another while keeping an internal tally. “Of course Misc, I wouldn't want you to stumble” 

Red looked at him oddly before looking at the half eaten sandwich in their hand. They started pondering about all the little things Codsworth did every day to make there life easier along with risking scrappage fighting beside them. They were hit with a sudden but inexplicable wave of affection for the orb. “I love ya’ Cods.” 

Codsworth was pleased that he had been deemed worthy of such feelings. “Thank you Misc, I’m very fond of you as well.” They noticed Red's eyes starting to get glossy. “Ah, was the sandwich not good?” 

Red suddenly leaned off of Cods and turned slightly to rub their eyes. “No, no, I mean yes it was good, the sandwich was great. I think I just got some oil in my eyes or something.” They patted Codworth’s orb softly. “I’m just really happy. Talking to you makes me remember to be mundane sometimes. To not...get caught up in how different everything is now. Like you do.” 

Cods fidgeted his limbs, noticing that they did feel easier to operate now. “I have just had more time to adjust.” 

Red shrugged. “Yah, I guess you're right. I’m just trying to say thanks for everything.” 

Codsworth seemed to scoff. “I should be thanking you Misc, you fixed me up.” He also remembered how they were the reason he was able to stay sane through those two hundred years alone. 

Red shoved the last of the sandwich in their mouth so fast they almost choked. “And I’m not done yet! This was just a break!” They grabbed Codsworth by one of his arms and started to drag them back to the work bench slowly against the Codsworth’s jets. 

“Red, please I must insist.” They disregard Codsworth’s protests and shoved them back onto the bench carefully. 

“Ah, did you call me JUST Red?” They had a smug look on their face as they got out more heavy duty tools and spare parts. 

Codsworth scoffed again as they finally reluctantly cut their jets and lowered back onto the bench. “You must be mistaken, I did no such thing.” 

Red looked like the cat that got the canary as they started to tighten up screws and replace stripped ones. “Whatever you says Mister Codsworth. Just enjoy your spa day.” Codsworth was about to protest albeit without much bite behind it when Red cut them off again. “Spa day, spa day, spa day!” Codsworth rolled his optics in a way that he hoped would get his exasperation across, but Red just kept tinkering away happily. Codsworth was already ruminating on ways they could pay them back. Maybe a spa day of their own? Did bubble bath still exist? If it did. He would find it. He wanted to, anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to drop me a line!  
> http://hawkscape.tumblr.com/  
> https://www.youtube.com/c/HawkScape  
> http://hawkscape.deviantart.com/


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